Trump Set To Crack Down On New Haven, Hartford Sanctuary Cities

NEW HAVEN, CT — President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order as early as Wednesday that would block federal funds to so-called undocumented immigrant “sanctuary cities” around the country, including New Haven and Hartford.

The order will "strip federal grant money from states and cities that harbor illegal immigrants," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.

"We'll prioritize the prosecution and deportation of illegal immigrants who have otherwise violated our laws."

The two Connecticut cities are often labeled as sanctuary cities because their police departments don’t ask people about immigration status and don’t detain people for federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, according to WNPR.

The sanctuary cities-related order reinstates an Immigration and Customs Enforcement program known as Secure Communities, under which ICE would target undocumented immigrants.

The order also directs the State Department to take whatever steps necessary to make countries take undocumented immigrants back — including withholding visas to people from that country.

It also directs that federal funds be withheld from cities and counties that don'y cooperate with immigration officials.

The order does not specify which funds will be withheld, saying only federal funds will be withheld except those required by law for law enforcement purposes.

U.S. Rep Jim Himes criticized Trump's executive orders and said he would work with Congress if he were serious about the safety of citizens.

"Instead, Trump continues to push extreme ideas such as a border wall that won’t provide more security, extreme enforcement that will likely lead to raids in our cities and families being torn apart at the border, and policies that will return people back to dangerous countries with no protection," he said.

Gov. Dannel Malloy said in November that the state would sue if the Trump administration attempted to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities.

The most likely target of funding would be grants given through the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security, both of which administer billions in grants a year, according to sources that spoke with Patch.

Grants from those departments help fund cities to prepare for terrorism attacks, increase drug patrols, boost drug treatment and assist crime victims.

New Haven Mayor Toni Harp pledged in December that the city would remain a sanctuary city as long as she is mayor, according to the New Haven Independent.

Sanctuary cities are generally defined as a city that limits assisting federal immigration officials through laws or policies. There is no official classification. There are more than 300 cities that would meet the common definition.

Trump is also expected to impose visa restrictions on people coming from the Middle East and suspend the program that allows refugees into the United States.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy criticized Trump's policy in a tweet.

"We bomb your country, creating a humanitarian nightmare, then lock you inside. That's a horror movie, not a foreign policy," he said.

Additional reporting by by Colin Miner (Patch Staff)

Photo via The White House